2 missing sisters found in Michigan after nearly 2 weeks

CRISP POINT, Mich. (AP) — Two sisters from Oklahoma and Nebraska missing for nearly two weeks in Michigan survived on Girl Scout cookies while stuck in their snow-crippled SUV until state police discovered them Friday near Lake Superior in a remote part of the Upper Peninsula.

A pilot noticed a reflection off the Ford Explorer and landed the police helicopter on shore, finally ending the women’s unexpected wilderness adventure. Leslie Roy, 52, and Lee Marie Wright, 56, were examined at a hospital and released.

“It was sheer joy,” Detective Sgt. Jeff Marker told The Associated Press, describing their reaction to the rescue. “It was almost disbelief that it was finally happening.”

Roy of Valley, Nebraska, and Wright of Depew, Oklahoma, got stuck about three miles from Crisp Point Lighthouse in Luce County in the Upper Peninsula. They had been visiting relatives in Ishpeming, in another part of the peninsula, and were planning to head south on April 11.

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Amtrak WiFi: So Slow It Might As Well Not Exist

The National Journal tested download speeds on the AmtrakConnect WiFi service between D.C. and NYC. The few green spots along this line represent the only times they were able to connect with adequate broadband speeds. The swaths of red indicate speeds of anywhere from 0-.9 Mbps. (Courtesy: National Journal)

If you’ve ever had the misfortune to sit next to me on an Amtrak train while I was trying to write, you’ve probably heard me mutter things about the state of onboard WiFi service that — were they fully audible — would have made Larry Flynt blush. Sometimes I wondered if it was just me, or if there was something wrong with my computer (every single one of them that I’ve ever used) that made it allergic to AmtrakConnect. It turns out, the service is just plain awful for everyone.

The National Journal’s Dan Berman put the Amtrak WiFi through the paces along the train system’s busiest corridor — from Washington, D.C., to New York City — and confirmed that the service occasionally works well enough to access the Internet but is so spotty and so slow that it’s really of no use to the modern business traveler.

Riding Amtrak during peak hours, Berman first traveled from D.C. to NYC on an Acela train, and the initial speeds were promising. The average downstream speed between D.C. and Baltimore was 4.4 Mbps; not amazing, but sufficient for sending e-mails and doing general web-browsing.

However, this leg of the trip showed signs of slowness to come, with speeds dipping as low as .6 Mbps, which is fast enough for you to stare at your computer screen and wish you still had the excuse of telling your boss, “I’ll be off the grid for a few hours while I’m on the train.”

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Muslim Police Chief Refuses Pledge Of Allegiance, Fellow Officer Takes Action

With the Obama administration increasing the number of Muslim migrants into the U.S. comes the Islamization of the West — an intentional, gradual overthrow of democracy and freedom by using that same democracy and freedom that’s afforded to them.

Ironically, Muslims flock to Western countries and demand the laws be changed to implement Islamic laws that are already in place in their own nations. So, why do they feel the need to create yet another Muslim country when they already have over 90 across the globe?

Because their allegiance to Islam requires them to hold nothing above it, not only are Muslims compelled by Muhammad to force every nation to submit to Islamic law, they find themselves unable to commit their lives to serving an un-Islamic country, even if they are born there.

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Cablevision Now Offering Free Digital Antennas For Cord-Cutters

Most pay-TV providers don’t like to remind consumers that there is plenty of freely available over-the-air TV, but the folks at Cablevision seem to be taking a “if you can’t beat ’em, give ’em antennae” attitude by acknowledging that some customers are destined to cut the cord (or to never connect that cord in the first place).

The Long Island-based cable/Internet provider is now offering a broadband package targeted at cord cutters and the “cord nevers” — the upcoming generation of Americans who scoff at the idea of browsing through a menu of hundreds of channels of reality TV programming when you can get it all online whenever you want.

The new offering from Cablevision’s Optimum Online broadband service starts at $45 for the first year (pricing will go up after that; we don’t know by how much) for broadband access up to 50 Mbps downstream.

The real kicker is that they will throw in a Mohu Leaf 50 digital antenna for free, meaning users can access all the local network TV without having to pay for cable.

It also means that you could use an over-the-top service like Dish’s Sling TV (which doesn’t include any local network content) or Sony’s PlayStation Vue (which only offers live feeds from certain network affiliates) in combination with the antenna to replicate something closer to pay-TV.

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Kylie Jenner vs. Sadie Robertson; You Judge Which Teen Wins the Culture War

Two pretty 17 year old girls, both reality stars made famous through their families’ shows, and both vying to be a role model for America’s female teens.

Because of their seemingly similar circumstances, Kylie Jenner and Sadie Robertson have been the subject of much comparison, with each representing the polar opposite of the other on the spectrum of lifestyle and behavior. In a way, the two are indirectly battling over who will win the cultural war of influence over impressionable young fans.

But the two young teens are as different as their respective family shows; Jenner is on “Keeping up with the Kardashians,” while Robertson stars on “Duck Dynasty.” Without a doubt, they represent two quite divergent Americas.

The hashtag #KylieJennerChallenge took Twitter by storm last week when young, star-struck girls tried to emulate the Jenner look complete with full, pouty lips formed via sucking a glass cup to their face.

Not a good plan. Most girls quickly discovered just how bad this idea was, when they ended up looking like bruised monsters rather than the precocious starlet they so adore.

On the other side of the spectrum, Sadie Robertson’s lifestyle represents the anti-thesis of the overtly sexual behavior on full display by Jenner. So which of these two young ladies should we want our daughters to model themselves after? Let’s take a closer look.
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Raising Independent-Minded Children In America Is Tough

No joke, trying to raise an independent-minded, decent human being in America is like trying to fly through a Category 5 hurricane.

For starters, nothing beats some of the toys offered up to kids. For example, you can hone your child’s remote killing skills by buying him or her a military drone toy. Not only can you kill women and children in their homes, but you can do so without actually having to deploy overseas!

Teach your kids this valuable skill via the, Maisto Fresh Metal Tailwinds 1:97 Scale Die Cast United States Military Aircraft – US Air Force Medium Altitude, Long Endurance, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) RQ-1 Predator with Display Stand, available at Amazon:

At least toying around with unmanned drones is safer to than playing at public parks. In case you missed it, a 12-year-old boy was recently killed by the local militarized police in Cleveland for just holding a toy gun at a park. Sorry, I just can’t get this story out of my head. While shooting a child within 2 seconds of arriving at the scene was criminal enough, to just stand around and not offer up any first aid was unimaginably evil.

All that said, it’s my opinion that the most dangerous place for a young child is often America’s taxpayer-funded schools. These places are frequently characterized by an endless flow of bullshit my kids hopefully won’t ever have to go through. Just the other day, an 11-year-old Kansas child was taken away from his mother after challenging an anti-drug propaganda program at his school.

Finally, there are tremendous challenges to be faced at the home front. I’ve said this in many posts before, but choosing to raise your children to be independent thinkers who don’t automatically want to control others by force, can sometimes lead to tension with family and friends, especially older ones. I find most of them to be just innocent victims who happily reside within the matrix, merely repeating thoughts they were subliminally conditioned to believe.

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JUST IN: Protesters Are No Longer Peaceful In Baltimore

Here are a few pictures that have been posted of the protests in Baltimore.  Check out the LIVE BLOG HERE to get all the recent updates.

State Says Bakers Should Pay $135,000 for Refusing to Bake Cake for Same-Sex Wedding

An Oregon administrative law judge recommended today that the bakers who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding should be fined $135,000.

“[T]he forum concludes that $75,000 and $60,000, are appropriate awards to compensate [the same-sex couple] for the emotional suffering they experienced,” wrote Alan McCullough, administrative law judge for Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries in his proposed order.

Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa located in Gresham, Ore., say the fine is enough to potentially bankrupt their family of seven.

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Largest Bank In America Joins War On Cash

The war on cash is escalating. Just a week ago, the infamous Willem Buiter, along with Ken Rogoff, voiced their support for a restriction (or ban altogether) on the use of cash (something that was already been implemented in Louisiana in 2011 for used goods). Today, as Mises' Jo Salerno reports, the war has acquired a powerful new ally in Chase, the largest bank in the U.S., which has enacted a policyrestricting the use of cash in selected markets; bans cash payments for credit cards, mortgages, and auto loans; and disallows the storage of "any cash or coins" in safe deposit boxes.

Buiter defended his "controversial" call for a ban on cash, as Bloomberg reports:

“The world’s central banks have a problem. When economic conditions worsen, they react by reducing interest rates in order to stimulate the economy. But, as has happened across the world in recent years, there comes a point where those central banks run out of room to cut — they can bring interest rates to zero, but reducing them further below that is fraught with problems, the biggest of which is cash in the economy.

In a new piece, Citi’s Willem Buiter looks at this problem, which is known as the effective lower bound (ELB) on nominal interest rates. Fundamentally, the ELB problem comes down to cash. According to Buiter, the ELB only exists at all due to the existence of cash, which is a bearer instrument that pays zero nominal rates. Why have your money on deposit at a negative rate that reduces your wealth when you can have it in cash and suffer no reduction? Cash therefore gives people an easy and effective way of avoiding negative nominal rates. Buiter’s note suggests three ways to address this problem:

Abolish currency.
Tax currency.
Remove the fixed exchange rate between currency and central bank reserves/deposits.

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LIVE BLOG: Baltimore Protests Underway For Freddie Gray

A massive protest is underway in Baltimore as several hundreds demonstrate about the death of Freddie Gray.

Gray died from critical injuries he suffered while in Baltimore Police custody.

Protestors have shut down roads, including a major highway I-83.

We’re covering the Freddie Gray protests and death investigations live here. Follow along and join the discussion by tweeting at us @cbsbaltimore.

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Spring Fling Famliy Fun Day

Is the Obama Administration Misleading Americans About How Close Iran Is to Getting a Nuclear Weapon?

Is the Obama administration deliberately releasing crucial information about Iran’s nuclear capabilities at politically opportune times?

First, let’s look at some history about the Obama administration and Iran. In 2010, Congress passed the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act. This law imposes one of the most comprehensive sanctions regime on Iran to date.

The effect of the law and the resultant Iranian economic losses allowed the administration an opportunity to negotiate about Iran’s illegal nuclear program.

The administration fought the 2010 bill tooth and nail, which is particularly puzzling considering it likely knew about Iran’s nuclear breakout capability now estimated at three months.

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27th Annual Westside Heritage Festival

Parade Registration

Ben Carson on America: 'As We Abandon God, You Can See That We're Spiraling Downward'

America's Judeo-Christian values are what made this country exceptional in such a short period of time, said Dr. Ben Carson, who added that the biggest problem today, however, is that America has "abandoned God," which is causing the United States to rapidly decline.

After speaking at the Stillwater Christian School in Kalipsell, Mont., last March, the host asked Dr. Carson, "Obviously, we have a lot of issues in the country today, from the economy, immigration, education, health care you touched on, foreign policy. So, the question is what do you think is the biggest issue we face today?"

Dr. Carson, a neurosurgeon and best selling author, said, "I think the biggest issue is that we have abandoned God. We need to bring spirituality back to this country."

"It was our Judeo-Christian values that allowed this to be an exceptional country," said Dr. Carson. "It allowed us to move forward so incredibly quickly. And as we abandon God, you can see we’re spiraling downward just as quickly.”

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Johns Hopkins University’s Student Government Opposes Chick-Fil-A Due To ‘Microaggressions’

The student government at Johns Hopkins University decided Chick-fil-A is not welcome on campus, as its existence would cause “microaggressions” against the gay community.

The College Fix obtained a copy of the Johns Hopkins University Student Government Association’s resolution, “A Resolution Regarding the SGA’s Opinion on Current and Future Chick-Fil-A Development Plans.” The resolution attempts to prevent Chick-fil-A from operating on campus “in a current or future sense.”

The student government stated it “vehemently opposes” Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy’s opposition to gay marriage.

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Judge Roy Moore: ‘Same-Sex Marriage Will Be The Ultimate Destruction of Our Country’

Roy Moore, the chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, believes that homosexual marriage is a violation of the natural order established by God and that if it is legally sanctioned nationwide in America, it “will be the ultimate destruction of our country.”

The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to start hearing arguments next week on whether state bans on gay marriage are unconstitutional; a final ruling by the high court is expected in June.

Judge Moore has frequently spoken against gay marriage and during a 2012 Tea Party rally in DeKalb County, Ala., he made his views clear, noting first how the national debt is burdening our children and grandchildren and then how homosexual marriage will hurt the nation.

“We cannot continue to borrow the future of our children and our grandchildren, or we will suffer the consequences,” said Judge Moore. “We can’t keep going into debt. We can’t keep disparaging our military and promoting things like same-sex marriage.

“L,G,B,T,” he said. “To hear our president of the United States say that we’re promoting L,G,B,T, let’s think of what that is. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.”

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Mock Crash 2015

STATE DEPARTMENT DOCUMENTS REVEAL CONCERN ABOUT BILL CLINTON’S ACTIVITIES WITH ‘SAUDI ENTITIES’

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced that it has received 126 pages of documents from the State Department related to Hillary Clinton’s possible conflicts of interest regarding her position as Secretary of State. The initial Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was placed on May 2, 2011. These documents are being released as a result of a federal court order in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed against the State Department on May 28, 2013 (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of State (No. 1:13-cv-00772)).

Judicial Watch also disclosed that the State Department turned over nearly 1,000 records to the Clinton Foundation, beginning in January 2014, for review prior to public release.

The lawsuit is ongoing and had previously forced the disclosure of documents that provided a road map for over 200 conflict-of-interest rulings that led to $48 million for the Clinton Foundation and other Clinton-connected entities during Hillary Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state. Previously disclosed documents in this lawsuit, for example, raise questions about funds Clinton accepted from entities linked to Saudi Arabia, China and Iran, among others.

The latest group of documents shows that State Department officials had concerns in January 2011 about Bill Clinton’s activities related to Saudi Arabia. An email chain, begun on January 25, 2011, includes several members of the State Department’s Legal Advisor Office, and the subject line “Clinton Foundation Request – Saudi entities.” The discussion is almost entirely redacted in the three-page email chain.

Other documents previously forced out through this lawsuit show that Bill Clinton worked with Tanmiah Commercial Group, a Saudi group based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that paid Clinton $300,000. The Clinton Foundation told the State Department he would participate in the 2011 Global Competiveness Forum, a five-day event in Riyadh. The event was co-sponsored by the Dabbagh Group Holding Co., which “comprises 28 autonomous companies, operating in diversified businesses in 30 countries. Mohammed Husnee Jazeel currently serves as Dabbagh Group’s CFO.” The Clinton Foundation described the event as:

[A]n annual meeting of global business leaders, international political leaders and selected academics and journalists. It was founded in 2006 by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) and is held under the patronage of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz.

Established in 2000, the SAGIA encourages investment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and provides licensing and support services to investors.

The “ticketed event” targeted “the Saudi Arabian business community.”

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NEWS YOU CAN USE FROM WICOMICO SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY

Author of “Unbreakable Bonds: The Mighty Moms and Wounded Warriors of Walter Reed” at Barnes & Noble in Salisbury Saturday, May 2; Book Signing and Benefit for Wounded Warriors

Dava Guerin, co-author of “Unbreakable Bonds: The Mighty Moms and Wounded Warriors of Walter Reed,” will be at the Barnes & Noble in Salisbury from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, May 2, along with two of the mothers who are in the book. Siobhan McConnell Fuller and Paulette Mason are profiled in the book, and will be at the Barnes & Noble to talk about their experiences. Guerin will also talk about the book and will sign books. A portion of the proceeds of the sales of the book will be donated to each mom and her wounded warrior. 410-548-9191

 

Wild about Reading Thursday, May 7 at the Salisbury Zoo

Register now to attend the Wild about Reading literacy night at the Salisbury Zoo Thursday, May 7, from 6-7:30 p.m. This event is for children of preschool age (3-4), primary (K-2nd), and intermediate (3rd-5th). All children must be accompanied by an adult. Registration is required; visit www.salisburyzoo.org. Avoid the summer reading setback, and get information on local libraries’ summer reading programs. Evening will feature literacy activities and the chance to learn about zoo animals. Free event T-shirt for first 100 guests. Rain or shine.

Watch: Here’s An Actual Ad For A New DC ‘Abortion Spa’

What the ‘Charlie bit my finger’ boys look like now, 8 years later

WASHINGTON — Prepare to feel old — the “Charlie bit my finger” boys are grown up.

Harry Davis-Carr was three, and his brother Charlie was one when their father, Howard, posted a video on YouTube in May 2007.

The 57-second video shows the two brothers sitting in a chair. Harry put his fingers in his brother’s mouth, and was bitten.

“Charlie bit me,” Harry said, before Charlie started bearing down, prompting repeated “ow”s, and giggles from the younger brother, before a final “Charlie bit me. And that really hurt.”

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BREAKING NEWS: Death Toll in Nepal Quake Hits 906

Massive magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocks Nepal, killing hundreds across four countries—including at least eight climbers who died in a quake-related avalanche on Mount Everest.

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Connellsville Cop Charged With Accepting Sexual Favors From Girl, 16

“From what I understand, it happened in various locations – his vehicle was one of the location"

A Connellsville Police officer is facing charges after allegedly accepting sexual favors from a teenager.

According to police, the incidents happened between October 2013 and June 2014 in various locations around Fayette County.

Ryan Reese, 42, of Connellsville, allegedly accepted sexual favors from the 16-year-old girl in exchange for him not filing drug charges stemming from an Oct. 2, 2013, incident.

“It basically involves him having inappropriate contact with a minor for what she believed was in exchange for not filing criminal charges against her, or leniency with criminal charges that had been filed against her with drug charges,” said Trooper Stefani Lucas, of Pennsylvania State Police.

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Can You Solved This Math Problem?

Click READ MORE below for the answer

U. of Maryland Latest School to Shelve 'American Sniper' Screening

The University of Maryland has postponed indefinitely a screening of "American Sniper" after an outcry from Muslim students – the latest campus protest triggered by the popular and Oscar-winning film about the late Navy SEAL Chris Kyle.

"American Sniper only perpetuates the spread of Islamophobia and is offensive to many Muslims around the world for good reason,"

a statement from the Muslim Students Association declares.

"This movie dehumanizes Muslim individuals, promotes the idea of senseless mass murder, and portrays negative and inaccurate stereotypes."

The movie had been set to screen May 6-7 but was postponed Wednesday.

Breyer Hillegas, president of the university’s College Republicans, told Fox News the shutdown "stifles dialogue and debate."

"Universities are always trying to satisfy the political correctness police and worry about who they might offend – rather than standing up for principle and the First Amendment of the Constitution," Hillegas told Fox News.

"If the university prevents a movie like that from being show – it promotes intolerance and stifles dialogue and debate – and goes directly against the atmosphere that the University of Maryland is supposed to support."

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Angry Rep Steve Knight

GUN CONTROLLERS GET HOT ON HILLARY

'She has a tremendous opportunity to educate'

Gun-control groups are gearing up for a Hillary Clinton campaign for president, saying the White House hopeful could prove a gigantic boon for their own policy devices.

“As Hillary runs for president, she has a tremendous opportunity to educate the American public about how effective background checks are and the need to finish the job,” said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, to the Hill.

Clinton has been a staunch supporter of more gun control, telling a CNN town event crowd in mid-2014 the government needs to take more steps to expand background checks and ban assault weapons.

“We cannot let a minority of people, and that’s what it is, a minority of people, hold a view point that terrorizes the majority of people,” she said then.

Clinton also campaigned heavily for a national gun registry in 2000 during her run for the Senate.

Now gun control advocates are enthusiastic about the idea of her carrying that rhetoric onto the campaign trail.

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The Reason George W. Bush Requested a Redo of a Purple Heart Ceremony is AWESOME

When it comes to class, it’s hard to top former President George W. Bush, especially when you’re talking about showing support for the military.

It’s evident throughout his years of political service that he has massive respect for the men and women who serve this great nation, and former press secretary Dana Perino recently shared a story in her new book that proves this point elegantly.

Have some tissues ready, because this just might start the water works.

Perino writes that back in 2005, Bush was scheduled to meet with 25 patients in the hospital, one of which was a Marine in the intensive care unit who had suffered serious injuries from a roadside bomb.

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ACLU DEMANDS CATHOLIC GROUPS PAY ILLEGALS' ABORTIONS

'Imposing beliefs on vulnerable population they are supposed to serve'

The American Civil Liberties Union has launched a lawsuit against the federal government to force Catholic groups that take taxpayer dollars to provide birth control and abortions for illegal immigrants.

“We have heard reports that Catholic bishops are prohibiting Catholic charities from allowing teens in their care to access critical services like contraception and abortion, even if the teenager has been raped on her journey to the United States or in a detention facility,” said ACLU staff attorney Brigitte Amiri, Fox News reported.

The suit seeks access to public records related to health care provided from unaccompanied illegal children who were served by Catholic-tied groups. Depending on the content of those documents, the ACLU said it could take further legal action.

Fox News reported about 60,000 minor-aged illegals crossed into America from Mexico in 2014, about a third of whom were girls. Amiri said 80 percent or so were sexually assaulted.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops contracts with the federal government to assist these children, and has taken in $73 million for that purpose, Fox News reported. But the ACLU says the groups working with the USCCB refuse to provide abortions to the girls who’ve been impregnated by rape – and that’s wrong, its attorneys say.

“The Catholic Bishops are taking millions of dollars in federal grants and then imposing their beliefs on this vulnerable population who they are supposed to serve … and that raises serious concerns under the separation of church and state provision in our Constitution,” said Amiri, Fox News reported.

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Walmart Loss Prevention "Officers" beat up and detain suspected shoplifter: WARNING Foul Language

IRS Gives Out $60 Million In Bonuses

A House panel claims the IRS makes poor spending choices and mismanages its resources. The Ways and Means Committee said the agency deliberately cut spending on taxpayer services, but not on employee bonuses. 

A report from the committee finds the IRS reduced its funding for taxpayer services by six percent. But it still gave $60 million dollars in bonuses to its employees. 

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said the agency has 13,000 fewer employees and $1.2 billion less than five years ago. He says that's why only half of callers to the agency get through to a live operator.

Clinton Foundation Profited While Russia Seized U.S. Uranium

Today, Russia controls a fifth of the uranium production in the United States, according to The New York Times. Needless to say, this is the bitter fruit of the Obama administration’s foolish “Russian reset.” Thanks, Hillary Clinton.

While a Russian company was taking over energy company Uranium One from 2009 to 2013, millions of dollars tied to the company’s previous owners ended up in the Clinton Foundation’s coffers. When the deal was made public, Bill Clinton was invited to speak to a Kremlin-linked bank that was promoting the stock of Uranium One. He was paid $500,000. So not only did the Clintons profit off of Russia, but Hillary did so while damaging national security in her critical position at the State Department.

Obama spokesman Josh Earnest wouldn’t deny that Clinton Foundation activity influenced the former secretary of state’s actions, saying, “I’m not going to be in a position here where every time someone raises a spurious claim that I’m going to be the one to sit down here and say it’s not true.”

More here

Frat Boys Allegedly Taunted Vets, Urinated on Flag, Spat on Service Dog

A group of fraternity members are under investigation following accusations that they taunted wounded warriors and urinated on an American flag.

Warrior Beach Retreat founder Linda Cope was on “Fox and Friends” this morning, where she discussed the sickening incident.

The veterans were in Panama City Beach, Fla., for an all-expense paid vacation provided by Cope’s organization. It was there that the wounded warriors encountered a group of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity members from the University of Florida and Emory University. What happened next was “very disheartening” to Cope.

The frat boys are accused of taunting the vets, desecrating flags, and making derogatory comments toward veterans’ wives. Cope said that they even spat on a vet and a service dog.

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The 10 Best States for Spending Your Tax Dollars

How well are your tax dollars being spent? It depends on what state you live in.

If you're one of the few Americans who live in Alaska or Wyoming -- states with relatively low taxes -- you're getting a lot of bang for all those bucks you give the government in April, according to a new study from WalletHub, a Web site with personal finance tools and information. But if you live in Arkansas or Alabama, your tax dollars aren't being spent as well.

The report ranked states based on "taxpayer ROI," or, the quality of services provided by the government compared to the amount of money paid in taxes. While tax receipts can be easily measured, quality of services cannot. WalletHub used 22 metrics in each state to determine how well tax dollars were being spent, including infrastructure, education, health and safety.

Red states and blue states had nearly the same ROI, with blue states getting the slight edge. While Alaska gets good ROI for its extremely favorable tax situation, it ranks only 30 in services provided; the violent crime rate in Alaska is five times higher than that in Vermont. Further, Vermont's incarceration rate is less than one-tenth of South Dakota's.

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Salisbury City Council Agenda & Packet For April 27, 2015

Spring Fling Flea Market / Yard Sale Next Week

You’re invited to… Spring Fling Flea Market / Yard Sale at Scarborough Fair in Mardela Springs, Maryland. Thursday May 7th through Sunday May 10th. Saturday is the BIG day with music & food.

Print and use the SPECIAL SBYNEWS COUPON* ($5.00 off in store purchase of $25.00 or more) and mention SBYNEWS for your chance to spin the famous “Discount Wheel” for up to 20% off your purchase.

Join in the FUN and set up your OWN (no fee) booth / table. (Scarborough Fair’s parking lot). Space still available. *For Restrictions rules and more details, plus to sign up to be a seller, please visit our website atwww.sfaircountry.com or call the store 410-749-7979.

Ted Cruz A No-show At Most Committee Meetings, Floor Votes

On one side of the spectrum in the Senate there is Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who has not missed a vote since taking office in 1997. At the opposite end are Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida.

The two Republican presidential candidates' attendance records when it comes to Senate votes and attending hearings are some of lowest in the chamber, with Cruz being especially negligent as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Cruz has missed the majority of committee hearings and now ranks 97th in the first three months of this year in showing up for roll call votes on the floor.

According to a report from Politico late last month, Cruz missed out on discussions about Afghanistan, the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo Bay, spending cuts, military readiness and the appropriate level of compensation for the troops.

Cruz was also the only senator absent on Wednesday when the Senate voted 99-0 to pass a compromise human trafficking bill that ended a contentious fight over federal abortion funding restrictions that had stalled the confirmation vote on attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch.

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10 Republicans Join Obama to Confirm Anti-gun, Pro-Illegal, Pro-Abortion Loretta Lynch for Attny Gen

Ten purported Republican Senators joined hand-in-hand with Obama to approve of the President’s anti-justice candidate for US Attorney General to replace retiring race baiter Eric Holder today.

During her confirmation process Lynch confirmed that she will not observe the law but will instead push Obama’s un-Constitutional agenda including breaks for illegals and a pro-abortion and anti-gun agenda.

The ten supposed Republican Senators who voted in favor of Lynch were Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Thad Cochran (Miss.), Susan Collins (Maine), Jeff Flake (Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Orrin Hatch (Utah), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky).

Lynch’s nomination has stalled for months, but today it passed.

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The Outreach Bus Ride

The men of "Kidz Roc" (Non Profit) need you 

With your help, The Men of Kidz Roc will be taking 46 of the most troubled, looked over and mistreated young males to The National Great Blacks In Wax Museum in Baltimore, MD.

This trip is geared toward males, ages 7-17 in the urban Salisbury Maryland Communities. Accompanied by 10 influential men chaperons with the vision to speak with the boys, mentor them and show them something outside of their neighborhood.

The goal is $2,500. This will pay for the charter bus, admission into the museum and lunch/dinner of each child. 

Trip Date: Saturday, June 20th 2015. 

Thank you so much in Advance for your Help..
-Kidz Roc

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Seattle Liberals FURIOUS That They Have To Pay More For Meals Because Of Higher Minimum Wage

Seattle has long considered itself to be cutting edge, and of course leans towards the very, very liberal side of the coin when it comes to politics. Naturally, Seattle was the first to elect a real live Socialist to City Council (I’m not kidding). She championed the already high Washington State Minimum Wage to be raised from $9.47 to $15.00 an hour. While this failed statewide, Seattle and Port of Seattle have adopted the $15 an hour wage – and it isn’t sitting well with most people, contrary to what our local news affiliate may report. Three popular local eateries are doing away with tipping entirely, and giving us all an 18.5% service fee – to provide ‘benefits’ for employees. Uhm, OK…

The restaurants — the Whale Wins, Walrus and the Carpenter, and Barnacle — will soon implements an 18.5 percent service fee on all meals. To offset that added cost, the restaurants are banning tips.

Jeremy Price, owner of the Whale Wins, said the change in policy is a reaction to the city’s higher minimum wage and the added costs associated with the Affordable Care Act.

“All those things kind of started us thinking about all this,” he said.

The change won’t happen until May, but customers seem to be okay with the added fee.

“It just removes the ambiguity. It makes it easier to keep track of everything. It’s the way they’ve been doing it in Europe for years,” one resident said.

Last month Ivar’s became the first restaurant in Seattle to raise their minimum wage to $15 an hour, and the Whale Wins will be the first to eliminate tips.

Price said the change will help balance the pay scale between servers and workers in the back.

“It’s going to free up and help us to provide benefits to our employees, health insurance, as well as matching retirement accounts,” he said.

The question of banning tips left some customers with a question. What do you do if the service is bad? Price doesn’t think that will be an issue.

“We actually kind of believe that our staff is going to do a great job because they’re professionals, because they have pride in their work,” he said.

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MARYLAND’S LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS OVER, BUT HOGAN HAS MORE WORK AHEAD

ANNAPOLIS — The Maryland Legislature may have just concluded, but tough decisions are still on the agenda for Gov. Larry Hogan as he chooses which bills to sign, and whether he will spend hundreds of millions of dollars on education, state employee raises and Medicaid — monies set aside by the General Assembly that he must approve.

He spoke to Capital News Service Wednesday about his first legislative session, as a Republican governor elected in a majority blue state working with a Democratic General Assembly.

Hogan ran on a campaign to clean up the state government, he said, by reducing spending and eliminating Maryland’s $700 million structural budget deficit.

He wanted to cut taxes, and help charter schools. He wanted to do everything he said his predecessor, Democrat Martin O’Malley, could not, or would not, do to ensure a responsible fiscal future for the state.

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OUTRAGEOUS: Obama’s VA Chief Lied, Few Were Punished for Deaths of Veterans

Last year Obama’s chief of Veterans Affairs, Robert McDonald, claimed that 60 people were fired for the long wait times that ended up killing some veterans who were waiting for medical care. But now, instead of 60 people being held to account, now we find out the number fired was really only three!

So, essentially we now find out that no one was held accountable for the deaths of so many sick veterans.

The nationwide scandal last spring over manipulated wait times at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals led to the ouster of the secretary of veterans affairs and vows from the new leadership that people would be held accountable.

Then in February, the new secretary, Robert A. McDonald, asserted in a nationally televised interview that the department had fired 60 people involved in manipulating wait times to make it appear that veterans were receiving care faster than they were. In fact, the department quickly clarified after that interview, only 14 people had been removed from their jobs, while about 60 others had received lesser punishments.

Now, new internal documents show that the real number of people removed from their jobs is much smaller still: at most, three.
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Broken Promisses From The Liberal Party

Joe, 

I was travelling on Owens Branch and Brick Kiln roads and observed the following road conditions. 

Isn't this the "New" super- miracle overlay Rick Pollitt was bragging about around six or eight months ago that would save the County so much money and recoat so many more miles of roads? 

YEP! I guess we'll have to start scheduling resurfacing twice a year now, right?

Clintons Baldly Lied to NYT Reporter About Meeting With Russians Until Photo Proof Made Them Admit it

The book Clinton Cash is really proving the Clintons to be some of the most corrupt individuals in recent history and even The New York Times is catching them at their lies. In one case the Clintons insisted that Bill never met with a Russian Uranium company official until forced to admit the truth when photo proof was presented to them.

A NYT reporter asked the Clintons about the meeting, but the Clintons lied and told her no meeting never took place. But…

In a Fox News preview of “The Tangled Clinton Web,” a New York Times reporter accused the Clinton Foundation of lying to her about a meeting Bill Clinton had with Kazatomprom officials regarding the sale of uranium to Russia.

“Frank Giustra arranged for officials to go to Bill Clinton’s house in Chappaqua,” reporter Jo Becker said.

“When I first contacted the Clinton Foundation, they denied any such meeting ever took place. And when we told them we have already talked to the head, who not only told us all about the meeting but actually has a picture of him and Bill at the home, that he proudly displays on his office wall, they then acknowledge the meeting had taken place.”

Major liars, aren’t they?

Source

HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 4-25-15

Report Cards

It seems to be the politically correct thing to do in this day and age to not give children a feeling of failure by giving them a failing grade. The two report cards above are from a time when failing was foremost in every student’s mind. The report card on the left is mine from St. Francis in 1950 when I was in the second grade. At St. Francis we had no choice but to get good grades because our teacher was Sister Mary Boniface. Back in those days, every one of the nuns carried a 15” Westcott ruler that would unerringly find the hand of any pupil that misbehaved. The inherent fear of the teacher plus the fact that when she sent a report to your parents (her word was always taken as gospel), well, that was enough to keep any child in line. Looking back, I can see where that discipline was not such a bad thing. By keeping the restless children in line, the other children received better help from the teacher. We all need discipline in our lives and it doesn’t hurt to learn it early.

Now, there are so many instances where a “pass” grade is given. Or, during the annual field day, they give out “participation ribbons” instead of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. In former times, a failing grade meant you had to study harder. If you got a 2nd place ribbon, that meant you had to try harder. Failure can sometimes be a good thing. At St. Francis, if you failed in class, you failed and had to repeat that grade.

Looking at the other report card on the right, we can see that in 1888 they offered such subjects as Declamation, Latin Grammar and Reader, Physiology, Algebra, Physics, Caesar, Virgil, Geometry and Trigonometry among other subjects. The report cards were the same, but the subjects were determined by the grade level you were in. This report card belonged to Elmer C. Williams. He was second in his class with a 94 average. Of course, there were only six in the class. I wonder if it made any difference that the principal was T. H. Williams. Elmer Williams was the proprietor and manager of the parking garage on Church St. behind the Salisbury National Bank all his life. And, remember, he only went to school for nine grades in 1888. The name of the school, Salisbury High School, was changed to Wicomico High School when they built a new school in 1905.

The respect that the teachers received from the students was duly earned by their example. Teachers were held to a higher standard in those days, and the parents saw to it that their children acted accordingly. Many things have changed in the last 122 years, but not all for the better. A lot of times, a gentle nudge in the direction of improvement would do some children a lot of good. Instead, they just tell everyone they are doing fine, even when they aren’t.

Would Wor. Co. welcome Warblers franchise?

Site plans, cost arrangements, feasibility studies and, not to be overlooked, a location are still all questions without answers concerning a proposed sports complex in Worcester County.

Hat Trick Consultants, the Texas-based firm that approached the county last year with the idea, appeared before the Worcester County Commissioners this week with few new details in the venture.

The first magic number is $15,000, which is the county’s share to fund the phase I study. The total cost of the study is close to $75,000 — a little higher than average since the county is contemplating installing outdoor athletic fields to accompany the project.

The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development is contributing $25,000, Hat Trick is putting up $5,000 and the Maryland Stadium Authority is contributing about $30,000.

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McDonald's closing Hundreds of Restaurants

NEW YORK (AP) — McDonald’s plans to unwrap a plan next month that it says will help turn around sales declines around the world.

CEO Steve Easterbrook, who stepped into the role just last month, said Wednesday the company will share “initial details” of the plan May 4.

“I think there is a hunger and an interest in our business to embrace change,” Easterbrook said during a conference call. While McDonald’s has been “phenomenally successful” for decades, he said that has also made the company conservative.

The world’s biggest hamburger chain said global sales declined 2.3 percent at established locations during the first three months of the year, with results for April expected to be negative as well. The drop included a 2.6 percent drop in the U.S., where people are increasingly heading to places that market their food as more wholesome.

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Never Have Another Kidney Stone

Kidney stones will affect 1 in 10 Americans at some point, according to the National Kidney Foundation, and recent studies show the numbers are rising. According to the National Institutes of Health, kidney stones are responsible for 1.3 million visits to the emergency room each year.

Kidney stones can be prevented by simply drinking water, says a new review of nine studies by the Mayo Clinic, which found that people who drank eight to ten 8-ounce glasses of water every day were 50 percent less likely to get kidney stones.

"We've known for years that drinking fluids lowers the risk of kidney stones, but this new analysis, which included more than 273,000 people, found that a lot of fluids cut the risk in half," said best-selling author Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, author of Real Cause, Real Cure.
"Kidneys are your body's filters," Dr. Teitelbaum tells Newsmax Health. "They pull toxins and other substances out of your blood for disposal in the urine. But when some of the substances become too concentrated, they can form stones. It's just like adding sugar to water. If you add too much sugar, it'll start to crystalize.

"It's the same with urine — water keeps the urine diluted, making it less likely that calcium and oxalate, the two compounds that form most stones, will crystallize."

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New Home Sales Collapse in March

WASHINGTON — Sales of new U.S. homes plummeted in March, as the spring buying season opened with sharp declines in the Northeast and South.

The Commerce Department said Thursday that new-home sales fell 11.4 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 481,000. This marks a swift reversal from an annual sales pace of 543,000 in February, which had been the strongest performance in seven years.

Purchases of new homes have been volatile on a monthly basis, although sales during the first quarter of 2015 are higher than in 2014. The volatility points to a real estate market still finding its footing in the aftermath of the housing bubble that triggered the Great Recession in 2007 and the weak recovery that has followed.

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Md. Gov. Hogan faces lawsuit over power plant pollution: By Ray Wallace

The owner of the Charles P. Crane Generating Station in

Middle River had agreed to the coal plant regulations

designed to reduce smog-forming pollution.

Sierra Club, doctors to sue Hogan on power plant pollution

     The Sierra Club and a doctors group said Wednesday that they plan to sue Gov. Larry Hogan’s administration for failing to enforce regulations that compel power plants to limit smog pollution.

     The groups submitted a 30-day notice of their intent to file a lawsuit Wednesday, demanding that the Republican governor put into place clean-air protections adopted in the final days of the administration of Gov. Martin O’Malley, a Democrat....

     "The safeguards that Hogan is trying to gut say simply, 'If you're going to burn coal in Maryland, you need to install and run modern pollution controls by the end of the decade for the sake of our health,'" said Josh Tulkin, executive director of the Maryland Sierra Club. "With today's suit, we are acting in the interest of all Marylanders, to make sure they can breathe healthier air."

     -- By Luke Broadwater, the above-quoted news article is from this April 24, 2015Baltimore Sun site:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/green/blog/bs-md-emissions-action-20150422-story.html

__________

A lso see "Physicians, Sierra Club Announce Intent to Take Gov. Hogan to Court for Unlawfully Blocking Clean Air Protections," at this April 22, 2015 Sierra Club site:

http://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2015/04/physicians-sierra-club-announce-intent-take-gov-hogan-court-unlawfully

__________

     Bloomberg Philanthropies has invested $80 million with the Sierra Club to retire half of the nation’s coal fleet by 2017.

     -- See the short video “Beyond Coal,” at this April 8, 2015 YouTube site:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqxL1gnun6E

Secretary Brinkley: Only Governor To Fund GCEI In First Year

Governor Larry Hogan On Budget: That's What Compromise Is All About

Firefighter Breaks Window With His Fingers

Body Cam: Cop Ignores Dog Sign, Hops Fence in Response to a Burglar Alarm, Kills Homeowners Dog

Video Contradicts Police Claims About Black Man Who Died in Jail Cell After Arrest For Sagging Pants

A newly released video – which contradicts police reports – shows a black Louisiana man lying facedown and unresponsive in a jail cell where he died after officers shocked him with a stun gun.

Sheriff’s deputies were called Nov. 26, 2013, to a Port Allen gas station, where 38-year-old Ervin Leon Edwards and his girlfriend were arguing, reported The Advocate.

The couple had calmed down by the time deputies arrived, but they questioned Edwards about his “sagging” pants – which are banned in the city – and then arrested him.

Police said Edwards was combative after he was placed in handcuffs and threatened to kill officers, and an officer threatened to use a stun gun to subdue him.

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Medical Marijuana Mom's Son Seized After He Talks About Pot's Benefits

A mother already suffering from a debilitating medical condition now must fight the state of Kansas to maintain her parental rights.

Shona Banda, a well-known activist, published a book “Live Free or Die” detailing how she found relief from Crohn’s disease after using cannabis oil. Banda’s primary concern now is keeping custody of her son. This because her son’s school contacted child protective services after he attempted to argue about the harms of marijuana during a classroom talk. Child Protective Services then removed Banda’s son from the school.

This story may seem ridiculous to some.

The reality is this happens all the time in our country and it is a lesser-known atrocity of the drug war. Due to mandatory reporting requirements, the staff at the school may have been under a duty to involve Child Protective Services if Banda’s son admitted marijuana was in his home. This type of blanket approach is rarely in the immediate best interests of the child and reflects the immense amount of stigma associated with illicit drug use.

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Cops Kill Man for Refusing to ID as He Dropped Off Stray Cat to Animal Shelter, Police Remain Silent

What was a seemingly selfless act of kindness would subsequently end with Lawrence being fatally gunned down by a cop.

Dothan, Ala. – In late December of 2014, Robert Earl Lawrence, 30, in an act of compassion, took a stray cat to the Dothan Animal Shelter. What was a seemingly selfless act of kindness would subsequently end with Lawrence being fatally gunned down by a cop.

Almost four months after that fateful day, police have provided the public with no more answers than were given the day after the killing. They have maintained a blanket of virtual silence surrounding the incident.

As we reported previously, the staff at the shelter, rather than simply accepting the cat, proceeded to demand that Lawrence show government issued identification. Per shelter policy, they demanded Lawrence show ID, prior to being allowed to leave, according to information released by police immediately after the shooting.

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